Lunchtime: Americans Spend Nearly $1K Annually Eating Out For Lunch

It may not be the most important meal of the day but lunch is certainly among the most costly.

Americans go out for lunch on average twice a week and spend $10 each time. That means they're spending $936 annually.

That amount is higher for men who outspend their female counterparts by 44%. Men spend on average $21 for lunch while women hover around $14. The data comes from
Visa which surveyed 1,003 adults across the country.

If you're living in the northeast, you're likely spending more each time you go out for lunch. Northeasterners spend 14% more per meal than the national average at $11.40 for a weekly total of $17.10. Compare that with southerners who lead the regions of the country in spending per week. The average Southerner eats out twice per week, spending $10 each time for an average of $20 per week.

Interestingly, those making less money end up spending more on lunch than those who make more. According the survey, those who said they make less than $25k per year spent more per meal, at $11.70, than those in any other income bracket. In contrast, those earning over $50,000 per year spent an average of $9.60 per meal, a difference of 22%.

Nat Sillin, Visa's head of U.S. Financial Education, has some advice. "Clipping a coupon, choosing a less expensive item or brown bagging it can save you hundreds over the course of a year. Eating lunch at a restaurant isn't a bad thing, but it has to fit within your budget," he says.

source: Visa

I’m a deputy editor covering all things Wall Street and Investing. I joined Forbes in 2010. I am fascinated by the financial industry’s power and influence around the globe, and the ingenuity of the people it employs (not so much a fan of the lack of accountability when the ...